by Helen Harper
My first instinct was to sprint forward again. I wanted to grab Lucy, scoop her up and keep her well away from those damned rats and their sharp, yellow teeth. I couldn’t say for sure why I hesitated; it certainly wasn’t a well-thought-out or rational decision. It was for the best that I did, however.
The adult shadow beast paid Lucy no attention. What it did do was reach down and grab a rat by its tail, hold it up in the air for a moment and examine it. Then it opened its jaws and dropped the rat in. There was no sign that the beast chewed the rat; it seemed to swallow the rodent whole, as if it were an oyster with a squeeze of lemon. Exactly the same thing had almost happened to me with Lucy’s mother.
I held my breath and watched as the gigantic creature swung its paw down again, this time snatching up several rats. One escaped, wriggling free by jumping onto the shadow beast’s shoulder where it was immediately absorbed by the creature’s strange fur. The shadow beast gulped down the other rats before absently scratching its shoulder and picking out the hapless rat from where it had fallen. Its reprieve had been temporary; a second later it joined its friends in the beast’s belly.
Throughout all this, Lucy had done nothing more than watch. She was too far away for me to tell whether she was afraid, overjoyed or simply hungry. When the shadow beast reached down for a third time, however, she made her own move. Darting forward like a kitten on speed, she also grabbed one of the rats, using her little jaws to snag its tail and haul it back. The rat desperately tried to free itself. Lucy snapped once, twice, and then she swallowed it.
‘That rat was the same size that she is,’ Monroe said in a low, wondering voice. ‘No wonder those shadow beasts grow so damned big.’
Much as I despised the rats, I was rather glad when Lucy chose not to eat any more. Instead, she sat on her haunches and watched the other shadow beast continue its meal.
‘It knew exactly what it was doing,’ I said. ‘That beast enticed the rats out before it began to eat them. I don’t know why we’ve been so worried about them if their natural prey is rodents.’
‘We’re not the only ones who’ve been attacked by a shadow beast,’ Monroe reminded me. ‘Maybe they’re only eating the rats because they find it too hard to catch us. Or maybe lack of food is driving them to desperate measures. A single observed behaviour doesn’t make something the norm.’
‘True. But maybe we should re-consider our attitude towards them. And to all the other beasties.’
‘Even the giant rats?’
I flicked him a look. ‘Okay,’ I said. ‘Perhaps not them.’
He slung an arm round my shoulder. ‘We should go.’
I didn’t move.
Monroe heaved a sigh. ‘I know you’ve become attached to Lucy but she’s back with her own kind now. It’s for the best.’
‘Yeah.’ I was still reluctant to leave.
‘Charlotte…’
‘Just give me another moment.’ I kept my eyes on Lucy. She seemed as relaxed as I’d ever seen her. I’d already destroyed her life by killing her mother. I knew that Monroe was right and leaving her here was the right thing to do. I raised a hand and waved. ‘Bye, Lucy,’ I whispered.
‘Manchester’s not that big,’ Monroe said. ‘I’m sure you’ll see her again.’
I was surprised by how bittersweet our parting was. I’d only known her a couple of days. I sniffed, aware that I was doing a terrible job of acting nonchalant. ‘I’m sure I will.’ I turned away. ‘Let’s go.’
From further down the street, Lucy squeaked. I glanced round and saw her jumping up and down. She skittered towards us, then back, and then towards us again. The shadow beast raised its head, its eyes flaring in alarm as it finally registered our presence. Shit. Here we go again. The last thing I wanted to do was to hurt another one of them.
‘It’s terrified of us,’ Monroe said. ‘And terror can do dangerous things. Let’s get out of here before it attacks.’
The shadow beast bellowed, swung round with surprising speed and began barrelling away in the opposite direction. The remaining rats scattered, disappearing underground. Lucy, Monroe and I all stared after the departing beast.
‘Flight rather than fight, then,’ I said. Anxiety flitted through me. ‘It really was terrified.’
Lucy squeaked again, albeit more plaintively this time. ‘I guess she’s staying with us for now,’ I said. ‘She’s not afraid.’ I bit my lip. Although perhaps she should have been.
Chapter Fourteen
I found Fab standing at the edge of our largest potato field with Lizzy by his side. He was beaming. Two of his hazmat-suited-and-booted bodyguards hung to the side. They swung in my direction when I drew close. Neither seemed particularly pleased to see me so I went overboard by jumping up and down and waving at them in mock excitement. They looked away.
‘They’re a reliable crop, you know,’ Lizzy was saying. ‘We’ll do well out of these potatoes.’
‘And this used to be a football pitch?’
She nodded. ‘We dug it up and fertilised the soil. It’s a lot healthier than it used to be.’ She leaned closer and nudged him. ‘Our football fans have to make do with playing in the streets these days.’
‘There are a lot of people who like football?’
She laughed. ‘This might be a post-apocalyptic city but it’s still Manchester. Each of the werewolf packs fields a team. The vampires have two teams as well. The humans are at the top of the league at the moment, though.’
I couldn’t see Fab’s face but by the tone of his voice he was surprised. ‘I’d have thought that the vampires and werewolves would have the advantage.’
‘The human teams have better tactics. Besides, we all have magic running through our veins now. We’re stronger and more powerful than we used to be.’
‘Aren’t you…’ He stopped in mid-sentence and turned away. ‘Never mind.’
Lizzy frowned at him. ‘Aren’t I what?’
‘It’s not important.’
She nudged him again. ‘Go on. You can ask whatever you want.’
‘I don’t want to cause offence.’
I remained where I was, watching their exchange with interest. I was starting to think that Fab was protesting rather too much. It was an old, well-worn tactic designed to make it seem that he was reluctant to say too much, when in fact the opposite was true. He was dying to ask his question but if Lizzy had to drag it out of him, it would make it appear all the more honest, genuine and thought-provoking.
I reminded myself that Fabian Barrett had built up his business from scratch. He was a lot more cut-throat and competitive than he made himself out to be. But of course, he wouldn’t have been so successful otherwise.
‘It’s just,’ he demurred, ‘that I wonder if the magic has any ill-effects you’ve not yet noticed. It might strengthen you in some ways and leave you weaker in others.’
Lizzy looked astonished.
I cleared my throat. ‘You mean like a new kind of disease or something?’
Both of them glanced round towards me. Fab had the grace to look guilty but he still nodded. ‘Not even a new disease. What about cancer? The magic in the air clearly affects your bodies at a cellular level. That could make everyone more susceptible to different sorts of cancer.’
‘No one’s been really sick in the last year,’ I told him. ‘Apart from the odd cold here and there.’
His expression was grave. ‘I’m pleased to hear that. Cath showed me round your little hospital earlier. With only two doctors on hand, it would be catastrophic if there was a outbreak of something serious. And all those drugs you have stockpiled have a shelf life.’ He offered a tiny smile. ‘I’m hoping I’ll be able to help with that.’
I was hoping that too, probably more than he could know. ‘We’re fortunate that you’re here.’
‘And then some,’ Lizzy agreed. ‘I know the magic is scary and I understand why you’re trying to protect yourselves from it. I was scared at first, too. Terrified even. But once yo
u learn to control it, it’s an amazing thing.’
Fab turned back to her. ‘Can you show me?’
She dropped into a mock curtsey. ‘Watch this.’ She snapped her fingers and twirled, both of which were entirely unnecessary but added to the overall effect. Then her figure seemed to blur. I barely had time to breathe out before she was on all fours, her tanned skin covered in thick golden fur and her head transformed with a long muzzle, coiled horns and alien features.
Fab’s two guards threw themselves forward, shoving him back so they could use their bodies as a barrier between him and Lizzy. Despite what was no doubt military-level fitness, their suits made their movements sluggish and clumsy. If she’d really wanted to hurt the tech billionaire she could have done so easily. No doubt they realised that as well. Instead she padded towards me and nudged my shoulder with her nose.
I grinned. ‘Nice demonstration, Liz.’
Fab stepped out from behind the two guards. ‘That’s … amazing,’ he said. He shook his head in wonder. ‘Simply amazing. How many other people are like that?’ He looked at me. ‘Can you do that too?’
‘Oh no. Lizzy is unique. At least as far as Manchester is concerned.’ I did my best to reassure him. ‘And she won’t hurt you.’
She swung her giant head towards him, her tongue lolling out like a happy Labrador.
‘It’s in her DNA,’ I explained. ‘She’s what’s known as a bunyip and always has been. Her animal side would have lain dormant if she hadn’t come here. The magic brought it out of her.’
Lizzy shifted, her fur melting back into her tanned skin. She stood in front of all of us, tall, naked and proud. ‘It was difficult to control at first,’ she said, ‘and bloody scary.’ She smiled. ‘I’ve got the hang of it now though.’
Fab frowned from behind his visor. ‘It doesn’t hurt when you … change?’ he asked.
‘No, not really. It’s a bit uncomfortable but not painful.’
‘Would it be too much to ask to take some samples from you? A few strands of hair. Some skin scrapings. Saliva.’
‘Not a problem.’
The nearest guard turned away to a bag on the ground. He opened it and drew out a small medical kit. I watched. It was good that they were learning about us; it would make them less afraid. But, given that they already had the swabs and collection bags ready, I suspected that this was what Fab had been angling for all along.
‘So,’ I said, once they were done, ‘you’ve seen the hospital. You’ve seen the fields and allotments.’
‘I have. I also saw your main supply warehouse.’ He gave me a look. ‘The shelves are fuller than I expected, given the number of people you have here and the length of the confinement you’ve had to endure.’ It was clear from his tone that he was choosing his words carefully. He must have recognised that we could still be doing better for food than we were.
‘We’ve been rationing,’ I said.
‘It would be my honour to do something about that and bring in more supplies.’
I inclined my head. That was what we wanted, more than almost anything else. ‘That would be an enormous help,’ I said quietly.
‘I want to help.’
It was difficult to ascertain his true expression from behind the visor but there was something about his earnestness that didn’t ring true. I told myself that Monroe’s wariness was rubbing off on me in an unpleasant manner and decided to change the subject. ‘I assume that Julian gave you a tour of all the main enclave sights earlier too,’ I said. ‘Is there anything else you’re interested in?’
‘How about something outside the enclave?’ Fab suggested. ‘The hotel perhaps?’
I paused. ‘It’s quite a long way off,’ I said finally. ‘It won’t be easy to get to, not with your suits on. Why don’t I show you the museum instead?’
‘You have your own museum?’
‘Of course.’ I pointed. ‘It’s not far.’
‘Then by all means lead the way.’
I gestured to Lizzy and she gave me a brief nod of understanding. ‘I’m off to find some clothes,’ she declared. ‘I’ll leave you guys to it.’
Fab smiled at her. ‘Thank you for your time and the demonstration. You’ve been wonderful, Elizabeth.’
She wandered away. I hooked my arm through Fab’s, leading him in the opposite direction. We strolled round the potato field, turning right at the bottom. The two goons followed.
‘This place is quite something,’ Fab said. ‘You seem to have thought of everything.’
I realised what was putting me on edge. The constant compliments that tripped out of his mouth were jarring. Yes, this place was quite something but it was far from perfect. I thought of the way he’d slid in his concerns about the magic’s side effects to Lizzy and I felt more uneasy.
‘It’s been a community effort,’ I told him. ‘We all play our part.’ I kept walking but I enunciated my next words very clearly and raised my voice so that he wouldn’t mistake my meaning. ‘And we all take it very seriously when our community is threatened.’
‘You’ve been threatened?’
‘Not all the threats are direct,’ I said. ‘Some can be more underhand and manipulative. Those sorts of threats are far more dangerous than the obvious ones.’
‘I’m not quite sure what you’re getting at.’ He did a good job of looking puzzled.
There were several ways I could go about this. I could dance the same waltz as him, skirting the truth and only hinting at my suspicion, or I could take the direct route. Yesterday I’d believed that a little magical meandering was the best approach but right now I was taking a different view. Sometimes the only thing you could do was to lay your cards on the table.
‘You were trying to plant the seed in Lizzy’s mind that there are risks relating to the magic that she’d not thought of. There’s been no suggestion, not so much as a flicker, that the magic in our atmosphere might make us more prone to disease. But you brought it up. You made a big deal out of it.’ I angled my body towards his so I could get a better view of his face – and his reaction. It wasn’t easy with his hazmat visor but I did my best.
‘That wasn’t my intention at all,’ he blustered, his eyes widening. He was definitely over-reacting.
‘Don’t bluff a bluffer,’ I said, my voice flat. ‘I have neither the time nor the inclination for games. I admired you for telling me the truth about how you want to be known as the first person brave enough to enter Manchester and save our souls. But now it feels like you’re sowing mistrust and lies.’
It was just as well that I was paying close attention because I almost missed Fab’s jaw hardening. ‘I haven’t lied,’ he told me. ‘Not about anything.’
‘Does anyone here look sick to you?’
He stopped walking and moved in front of me, effectively stopping me from moving forward. The two goons stopped behind me. They hadn’t trapped me as cleverly as they thought they had, however; they were forgetting that I had magic ready at my fingertips.
‘Of course no one looks sick,’ he answered. He lifted his chin and I was sure I caught the faintest gleam of dislike in his eyes. ‘But, yes, I’ll admit that I deliberately suggested that the magic might do that. Because you know what, Charley? It might. No one knows what the long-term effects of breathing this stuff in could be. I’m not wearing this suit because I think it gives me a debonair style that should be mimicked on the catwalks of Paris and London. I’m wearing it because the magic is a genuine threat to my well-being. I’m not trying to cause a panic, I’m trying to point out the obvious. Those samples we’ve taken from your friend and from others will be invaluable in proving if there is anything to be worried about. I don’t believe in sugar-coating matters or hiding anything. I’m simply saying what I think.’ There was a steel-edged fury to his words. I’d called him out – and he didn’t like it.
I stood my ground. ‘You’re creating problems where there are none.’
‘Yet,’ he bit out. ‘No one knows what w
ill happen in two, or five, or ten years’ time.’
‘So why spread panic now?’ I asked.
‘I don’t see any panic. Show me where your people are panicking. Go on.’
I knew as well as he did that a muted whisper could quickly become a screeching roar. ‘Around here,’ I told him, ‘we don’t jump at shadows.’
‘Unless there are monsters who might eat you at any moment,’ he sniped back. He looked round. ‘Where is that Lucy thing?’
‘She’s had a long day. She’s asleep in her cage at home,’ I said quietly.
‘Are you suggesting that’s where I should go? Back home? Are you trying to get rid of me?’
Where had that come from? ‘Don’t be silly,’ I snapped. ‘I’m glad you’re here. We need your help. I’m thrilled that you’ve come.’
Fab drew himself up. ‘You have a funny way of showing it.’ He glared. ‘Julian showed me the map, you know, the one where you’ve marked out where all the monster sightings have occurred. Where their known territories are. Don’t mistake me for an idiot, Charley. You deliberately walked us through that pink monster’s territory when you led us here.’ He kept his eyes on mine. ‘And you are suggesting that I’m manipulative? I have nothing on you.’
Damn it. ‘I was trying to gauge how you and your goons would react. I wasn’t going to take you to my home and my people until I could be sure you wouldn’t shoot a werewolf the first time they turned furry in front of you.’ After all, if there was anything Monroe had taught me it was to be more wary of strangers.